RESIDUAL EFFECTS OF LEAD AND ZINC MINING

ON FRESHWATER MUSSELS IN THE

SPRING RIVER BASIN

presented by:

Robert T. Angelo

Kansas Department of Health and Environment Bureau of Environmental Field Services Technical Services Section STUDY OBJECTIVES

¾ Examine occurrence and distribution of native freshwater mussels in Basin. ¾ Evaluate current mussel densities, dominant taxa, and principal age-classes in selected stream reaches. ¾ Ascertain metal contaminant levels in mussel soft tissues and shell materials, focusing primarily on cadmium, lead, and zinc. ¾ Explore relationships between mussel community parameters, shell/soft tissue contaminant levels, and environmental (sediment/water-column) contaminant concentrations. MO MO OK OK KS KS LOCATIONS) LOCATIONS) AND MUSSEL SURVEY AND MUSSEL SURVEY ZINC MINING AREAS, ZINC MINING AREAS, HISTORICAL LEAD AND HISTORICAL HISTORICAL LEAD AND HISTORICAL (WITH MAJOR STREAMS, (WITH MAJOR STREAMS, SPRING RIVER BASIN SPRING RIVER BASIN 40 40 20 km 20 km

0 0

t xt x Spring River, sta. 1 Spring River, sta. 2

Spring River, sta. 4 Spring River, sta. 6 MUSSEL SPECIES OBSERVED IN SPRING RIVER

1. Alasmidonta marginata 18. Potamilus ohiensis 2. Amblema plicata 19. Potamilus purpuratus 3. Cyprogenia aberti 20. Ptychobranchus occidentalis 4. Elliptio dilatata 21. Pyganodon grandis 5. Fusconaia flava 22. Quadrula cylindrica 6. Fusconaia ozarkensis 23. Quadrula metanevra 7. cardium 24. Quadrula pustulosa 8. Lampsilis rafinesqueana 25. Quadrula quadrula 9. Lampsilis siliquoidea 26. Strophitus undulatus 10. Lampsilis teres 27. Tritogonia verrucosa 11. Lasmigona complanata 28. Truncilla donaciformis 12. Lasmigona costata 29. Venustaconcha ellipsiformis 13. Leptodea fragilis 14. Ligumia recta Species listed as endangered, threatened, or in need of 15. Ligumia subrostrata conservation by KDWP 16. Obliquaria reflexa Species represented only by 17. Pleurobema sintoxia weathered shell material

MUSSEL SPECIES RICHNESS DOCUMENTED AT NINE SURVEY SITES ALONG SPRING RIVER

25 = Number of mussel taxa represented by live or recent shell material = Number of mussel taxa 20 = Number of mussel taxa represented by weathered or relict shell material only

15

10 Number of species Number of species 5

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Upstream stations Downstream stations Cow Creek North Fork Spring River

Brush Creek Shoal Creek, sta. 3 MUSSEL SPECIES OBSERVED IN MAJOR TRIBUTARIES OF SPRING RIVER

1. Amblema plicata 15. Potamilus purpuratus 2. Elliptio dilatata 16. Pyganodon grandis 3. Fusconaia flava 17. Quadrula pustulosa 4. Fusconaia ozarkensis 18. Quadrula quadrula 5. Lampsilis cardium 19. Strophitus undulatus 6. Lampsilis rafinesqueana 20. Toxolasma lividis 7. Lampsilis siliquoidea 21. Toxolasma parvus 8. Lampsilis teres 22. Tritogonia verrucosa 9. Lasmigona complanata 23. Venustaconcha ellipsiformis 10. Lasmigona costata 11. Leptodea fragilis Species listed as endangered, threatened, or in need of 12. Ligumia subrostrata conservation by KDWP 13. Pleurobema sintoxia Species not found in Spring 14. Potamilus ohiensis River MUSSEL SPECIES RICHNESS DOCUMENTED AT 13 SITES ON MAJOR TRIBUTARIES OF SPRING RIVER

16 = Mussel taxa represented by live mussels or recent shell material = Mussel taxa represented 12 by weathered or relict shell material only

8 Number of species Number of species 4

0 NF Spring Shawnee Willow Shoal 2 Short Center 1 Center 3 Cow Brush Shoal 1 Shoal 3 Turkey Center 2 Spring River, sta. 3

L.RELATIVE rafinesqueana ABUNDANCE OF MUSSEL TAXA ENCOUNTERED DURING QUANTITATIVE SURVEY OF SPRING RIVER, STATION 3 T. verrucosa

Q. pustulosa

E. dilatata

F. flava

L. fragilis

P. occidentalis

P. sintoxia

Q. metanevra

S. undulatus Total mussel count = 153 V. ellipsiformis Excavated meter2 quadrats = 98 Unidentified juveniles

0 5 10 15 20 Percentage of total mussel count ABUNDANCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF NATIVE UNIONID MUSSELS IN SPRING RIVER, STATION 3

Upper margin of surveyed stream reach 12

10 ) ) 2 2 8

6 ters met 00 m 4 20 Mussel density Mussel density 2 (liveanimals per meter (liveanimals per meter Mean = 1.6 mussels/meter2 0 50 meters Median = 1.0 mussel/meter2 Spring River, sta. 5 MUSSEL TAXA AND NUMBERS ENCOUNTERED DURING QUANTITATIVE SURVEY OF SPRING RIVER, STATION 5

L. fragilis

L. cardium

L. rafinesqueana

L. subrostrata

Q. pustulosa Total mussel count = 9 Excavated meter2 quadrats = 50 T. verrucosa

0 1 2 3 Mussel count ABUNDANCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF NATIVE UNIONID MUSSELS IN SPRING RIVER, STATION 5

Upper margin of surveyed stream reach 1 ) ) 2 2

s ters me 100 Mussel density Mussel density (liveanimals per meter (liveanimals per meter Mean = 0.2 mussel per meter2 0 18 meters Median = 0.0 mussel per meter2

CADMIUM CONCENTRATIONS IN SOFT TISSUES OF ALL BIVALVES COLLECTED FROM SPRING RIVER

20 Empire Lake 18 Empire Lake Turkey Creek 16 Turkey Creek Center Creek 14 Center Creek 12 Cow Creek Cow Creek 10 (mg/kg, dry wt.) (mg/kg, dry wt.) North Fork Spring River 8 North Fork Spring River 6 Bivalve cadmium concentrationBivalve cadmium Bivalve cadmium concentrationBivalve cadmium 4 2 0 Station #: 1 2 3 4 5 6 Upstream Downstream LEAD CONCENTRATIONS IN SOFT TISSUES OF ALL BIVALVES COLLECTED FROM SPRING RIVER

20 Empire Lake 18 Empire Lake Turkey Creek 16 Turkey Creek Center Creek 14 Center Creek 12 Cow Creek Cow Creek (mg/kg, dry wt.) (mg/kg, dry wt.) 10 North Fork Spring River 8 North Fork Spring River Bivalve lead concentration Bivalve lead concentration 6 4 2 0 Station #: 1 2 3 4 5 6 Upstream Downstream ZINC CONCENTRATIONS IN SOFT TISSUES OF ALL BIVALVES COLLECTED FROM SPRING RIVER

8000 Empire Lake 7000 Empire Lake Turkey Creek Turkey Creek 6000 Center Creek Center Creek

5000 Cow Creek Cow Creek (mg/kg, dry wt.) (mg/kg, dry wt.) 4000 North Fork Spring River 3000 North Fork Spring River Bivalve zinc concentration Bivalve zinc concentration 2000

1000

0 Station #: 1 2 3 4 5 6 Upstream Downstream &

%

Pistolgrip mussel, Tritogonia verrucosa CADMIUM CONCENTRATIONS IN SOFT TISSUES OF PISTOLGRIP MUSSEL, TRITOGONIA VERRUCOSA

12 12 n = 1 Kruskal-Wallis (sites with replicate samples): 1010 H = 22.88, p < 0.001

88 n = 4

66

44 (mg/kg, dry wt.) (mg/kg, dry wt.) Cadmium concentration Cadmium concentration 22 n = 15 n = 15 n = 10

00 Cow Creek Sta. 2 Sta. 3 Sta. 4 Sta. 5 Spring River LEAD CONCENTRATIONS IN SOFT TISSUES OF PISTOLGRIP MUSSEL, TRITOGONIA VERRUCOSA

88 Kruskal-Wallis (sites n = 1 with replicate samples): 77 n = 4 H = 19.18, p < 0.001 66

55

44

33 (mg/kg, dry wt.) (mg/kg, dry wt.) Lead concentration Lead concentration 22 n = 15 n = 15 n = 10 11

00 Cow Creek Sta. 2 Sta. 3 Sta. 4 Sta. 5 Spring River ZINC CONCENTRATIONS IN SOFT TISSUES OF PISTOLGRIP MUSSEL, TRITOGONIA VERRUCOSA

80008000 Kruskal-Wallis (sites with replicate samples): n = 4 70007000 H = 19.95, p < 0.001 60006000

50005000

40004000

30003000 n = 1 (mg/kg, dry wt.) (mg/kg, dry wt.) Zinc concentration Zinc concentration 20002000

10001000 n = 15 n = 15 n = 10 00 Cow Creek Sta. 2 Sta. 3 Sta. 4 Sta. 5 Spring River Neosho mucket, Lampsilis rafinesqueana

&

% CADMIUM CONCENTRATIONS IN SOFT TISSUES OF NEOSHO MUCKET, LAMPSILIS RAFINESQUEANA

10 10 n = 1

88

66 n = 5

44 (mg/kg, dry wt.) (mg/kg, dry wt.)

n = 5 Cadmium concentration Cadmium concentration 22

00 Sta. 3 Sta. 4 Sta. 5 Spring River LEAD CONCENTRATIONS IN SOFT TISSUES OF NEOSHO MUCKET, LAMPSILIS RAFINESQUEANA 6 6 n = 1

55

n = 5 44

33

22 (mg/kg, dry wt.) (mg/kg, dry wt.) Lead concentration Lead concentration n = 5 11

00 Sta. 3 Sta. 4 Sta. 5 Spring River ZINC CONCENTRATIONS IN SOFT TISSUES OF NEOSHO MUCKET, LAMPSILIS RAFINESQUEANA

35003500 n = 5 30003000

25002500 n = 1

20002000

15001500 (mg/kg, dry wt.) (mg/kg, dry wt.) 10001000 Zinc concentration Zinc concentration n = 5 500500

00 Sta. 3 Sta. 4 Sta. 5 Spring River Asian clam, COMPARISON OF ZINC CONCENTRATIONS IN SOFT TISSUES OF FRESHWATER MUSSELS VERSUS ASIAN CLAM (LOG MEAN CONCENTRATIONS, NINE SITES)

3.6 log y = 1.44 log x – 1.02 R2 = 0.96 3.2

2.8

2.4 (log mg/kg, dry wt.) (log mg/kg, dry (log mg/kg, dry wt.) (log mg/kg, dry Mussel zinc concentration Mussel zinc concentration Mussel zinc concentration Mussel zinc concentration 2.0 2.2 2.4 2.6 2.8 3.0 Clam zinc concentration (log mg/kg, dry wt.) LEAD CONCENTRATIONS IN SOFT TISSUES OF ASIAN CLAM, CORBICULA FLUMINEA

(COMPOSITE CLAM SAMPLES)

2525 Kruskal-Wallis: n = 3 H = 7.32, p = 0.026 2020

1515

n = 3 1010 (mg/kg, dry wt.) (mg/kg, dry wt.) Lead concentration Lead concentration 55 n = 3

00 Sta. 1 Sta. 2 Sta. 3 Shoal Creek

MUSSEL SPECIES RICHNESS VERSUS SEDIMENT LEAD LEVEL AT SIX SPRING RIVER SAMPLING LOCATIONS

30 120

Species number Sediment Pb conc. (mg/kg, drywt.,<250 (mg/kg, drywt.,<250 Sediment leadconc. Sediment leadconc.

20 80

10 40 : : Number of species Number of species m) m)

0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 Station number MUSSEL SPECIES RICHNESS VERSUS SEDIMENT LEAD LEVEL AT TEN PERENNIAL TRIBUTARY LOCATIONS

16 1.8

Species number (grams/kg, drywt.,<250 Sediment Pb conc. (grams/kg, drywt.,<250 Sediment leadconc. 12 Sediment leadconc.

1.2

8

0.6 Number of species Number of species : 4 : m) m)

0 0 NF Spring Shoal 1 Shoal 3 Turkey Center 2 Cow Shoal 2 Short Center 1 Center 3 COMPARISON OF LEAD CONCENTRATIONS IN SOFT TISSUES OF NATIVE MUSSELS VERSUS FLUVIAL SEDIMENT (LOG MEAN CONCENTRATIONS, TEN SITES)

1.2 log y = 1.27 log x – 1.67 R2 = 0.81 0.8

0.4 (log mg/kg, dry wt.) (log mg/kg, dry wt.) 0 Mussel lead concentration Mussel lead concentration Mussel lead concentration Mussel lead concentration

-0.4 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2.0 2.2 Sediment lead concentration (log mg/kg, < 250-:m fraction) COMPARISON OF LEAD CONCENTRATIONS IN SOFT TISSUES OF ASIAN CLAM VERSUS FLUVIAL SEDIMENT (LOG MEAN CONCENTRATIONS, 13 SITES)

1.5 log y = 1.12 log x – 1.19 R2 = 0.80 1.2

0.9

0.6

0.3 (log mg/kg, dry wt.) (log mg/kg, dry wt.) Clam lead concentration Clam lead concentration Clam lead concentration Clam lead concentration 0

-0.3 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2.0 2.2 Sediment lead concentration (log mg/kg, < 250-:m fraction)

WATER-COLUMN ZINC CONCENTRATIONS MEASURED DURING LOW FLOW AND HIGH FLOW SYNOPTIC SURVEYS

800 265 cfs, 10,900 cfs, 700 Spring River, Spring River, Quapaw, Okla. Quapaw, Okla. 600 October 4, 2004 October 11, 2001 liter) liter) 500

400

300 (micrograms per (micrograms per 200 Total zinc concentration Total zinc concentration

100

0 Cow Ck. Spring R., Center Ck., Turkey Ck. Shoal Ck., Spring R., sta. 3 sta. 3 sta. 3 sta. 6 CONCLUSIONSCONCLUSIONS

¾ The Spring River Basin supports a diverse freshwater mussel assemblage, but stream reaches draining former lead and zinc mining areas contain depauperate faunas compared to upstream reference reaches. ¾ Mussel densities in the Spring River drop precipitously below the confluences of Center and Turkey creeks. Mussels are seemingly absent in the lower reaches of these and several other mining-impacted tributaries. ¾ Mussels and other bivalves still occurring downstream of former mining areas exhibit significantly elevated levels of cadmium, lead, and zinc in soft body tissues. ¾ Bivalve tissue contaminant levels throughout the basin parallel local environmental (water-column/sediment) contaminant concentrations. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

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